MovieBeam launched its movies-on-demand service in 29 cities today, including Seattle. There are several factors working against this service - come on, another set-top box? - but MovieBeam says it will eliminate the need to run to the video store by providing a library of 100 movies for immediate viewing.

MovieBeam is backed by Disney, Cisco Systems, Intel and a few VC firms. The box costs $200 (though there is a $50 rebate) and the service requires a $30 activation fee. There is no monthly fee, but movie rentals will cost either $2 or $4, with an additional $1 tacked on for high-definition titles.